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to amass

to amass

66 4.8
To collect a lot of something over time
  • verb
  • /əˈmæs/
translation icon : acumular
  • Over many years, she managed to amass a significant collection of rare coins.
  • amass wealth
  • amass a fortune
  • amass evidence

My goal in life is not to amass Facebook fans.

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Examples

  • America's need for ammunition enabled the family to amass a fortune and grow their company into what is today the largest chemical corporation in the world.

  • You have amassed this really cool body of work.

  • My goal in life is not to amass Facebook fans.

  • This action gave Edward time to plan and amass his forces in England.

  • The majority of the students in the class eventually amassed the required points in this fashion.

    Academic text (1999)
  • But most of the time, it is about amassing further wealth and power for themselves, for their kids.

  • Virtual collections may amass at a faster rate than the development of accessible methods for 3D models.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Well, the guy must be doing something right to have amassed that amount of wealth.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • A great patron of the arts, Bhabha, through his wealth, amassed a fine collection.

    Academic text (1992)
  • The cocaine industry has amassed substantial economic and political power in the Andean nations.

    Academic text (1990)

Synonyms

to collect
vsto amass
499 1.1

To bring things or people together in one place

refers to building a large total over a period rather than one-time gathering
to accumulate
vsto amass
174 3.4

To gather more and more of something over time

is the general act of collecting a large amount over time
to compile
vsto amass
134 4.1

To collect and arrange information and materials into a list or book

is about gathering large quantities rather than organizing them into collections
to pile up
vsto amass
83 3.1

To put things on top of each other until they make a heap

expresses long-term collecting rather than specifically forming a physical pile
to gather
vsto amass
53 1.8

Increase slowly over time

focuses on building a large amount over a period rather than small growth
to hoard
vsto amass
45 4.8

To collect and keep large amounts of food or other things for future use

is neutral collecting over time without secrecy or future emphasis
to stock up on
vsto amass
27 2.5

Buy a large amount of something to use later

means accumulating generally over time, not only buying for later use
to roll up
vsto amass
22 3.7

Collect small amounts until they become a larger total

means accumulating a large amount over time rather than joining totals
to load up on
vsto amass
  • Informal
10 4.5

Get a lot of something or use a lot of it

describes slow collecting over time rather than rapid obtaining or consuming
to cumulate
vsto amass
1 7.9

To increase in amount over time

is about collecting a large total rather than the gradual process

Antonyms

104 4.4

To cause people and things, like a crowd or fog, to spread over a wide area

48 6.8

To make something spread out and disappear, for example fog or tension

How Much

to hoard
45 4.8
to amass
66 4.8
to accumulate
174 3.4
to collect
499 1.1
to gather
1.0

Surface Forms

amass infinitive
amassed past
amassed past participle
amassing present participle
amasses third person singular

Morphology

amass = mass (semi-transparent) = a + mass

The connection to 'mass' is real, but the prefix 'a-' is not a productive modern English pattern for most learners, so the verb meaning is only partly inferable.

Etymology

The word amass comes from the parts a- 'to' and mass 'heap', like the English word mass meaning 'a large amount'. So, to amass is to gather things into a big pile or to collect a large amount over time.